Event Details

Please join Queens University of Charlotte in honoring Mr. Ketner's business legacy and his generous commitment to Queens. This event will celebrate the dedication of Ralph W. Ketner Auditorium in John H. Sykes Learning Center at Queens University of Charlotte.

About Ralph W. Ketner

A native of Salisbury, North Carolina, Ralph W. Ketner co-founded Food Town in 1957. By 1967, the company had grown to seven stores with annual sales of $5 million. In 1968, Ketner "bet the company," drastically reducing 3,000 prices and offering customers LFPINC, "lowest prices in N.C."  Sales had increased to $7.2 billion by the time Ketner left the company in 1991. From 1957-1991, the stock split 19,440 for 1. In 1983, the company's name changed to Food Lion.

Ketner's business leadership has led to numerous honors and awards, including a 1990 National Entrepreneur of the Year Award and recognition in 2002 as "One of 50 Visionaries in the U.S. Supermarket Industry." He was inducted to the Carolinas Entrepreneur Hall of Fame at the McColl School of Business in 2010. He has two children, Robert and Linda.

About Dr. William Sparks

Dr. William Sparks, facilitator for this evening's conversation with Mr. Ketner, is Associate Professor of Behavioral Science and Director of Leadership Initiatives at the McColl School of Business. He is a principal with Sparks & Associates, LLC, and a managing partner with Peter C. Browning & Associates, LLC. He works as a consultant and coach and is the author of the forthcoming book Actualized Leadership, to be published in 2012.